Greek Chicken Tenders (Print version)

Juicy marinated chicken grilled with Mediterranean herbs and paired with creamy yogurt dipping sauce.

# What you need:

→ Chicken

01 - 1 ½ lbs chicken tenders
02 - 2 tbsp olive oil
03 - Juice of 1 lemon
04 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 1 tbsp dried oregano
06 - 1 tsp dried thyme
07 - 1 tsp smoked paprika
08 - 1 tsp salt
09 - ½ tsp black pepper

→ Yogurt Dipping Sauce

10 - 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
11 - 1 small cucumber, grated and squeezed dry
12 - 1 tbsp fresh dill, chopped
13 - 1 tbsp olive oil
14 - 1 tbsp lemon juice
15 - 1 clove garlic, minced
16 - Salt and pepper, to taste

→ Garnish

17 - Lemon wedges
18 - Fresh parsley or dill, chopped

# Directions:

01 - In a large bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic, dried oregano, dried thyme, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper until well combined.
02 - Add chicken tenders to the bowl and toss thoroughly to coat evenly with the marinade. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, up to 2 hours for deeper flavor penetration.
03 - While chicken marinates, combine Greek yogurt, grated cucumber, chopped fresh dill, olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl. Mix until smooth and refrigerate until serving.
04 - Preheat grill or grill pan over medium-high heat. Lightly oil the grill grates to prevent sticking.
05 - Remove chicken from marinade, allowing excess to drip off. Place tenders on the grill and cook for 3-4 minutes per side until fully cooked through with nice char marks and internal temperature reaches 165°F.
06 - Arrange grilled chicken tenders on a serving platter. Accompany with chilled yogurt dipping sauce, fresh lemon wedges, and a sprinkle of chopped parsley or dill.

# Expert advice:

01 -
  • The marinade creates incredibly juicy chicken every single time
  • The tangy yogurt sauce perfectly balances the savory herbs
  • Ready in under an hour but tastes like you spent all day cooking
02 -
  • Do not marinate longer than 2 hours or the lemon will start breaking down the chicken texture
  • Squeezing the cucumber thoroughly is the secret to a sauce that is not watery
  • Let the grilled chicken rest for a few minutes before serving to keep it juicy
03 -
  • Pound thicker tenders to even thickness so they cook at the same rate
  • Make extra sauce because it keeps for days and is great on everything

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